Building It Up
by MBInc
Summary: A teambuilding assignment with an interesting outcome.WARNING:FEMMESLASH.CS
1. Part 1: Relationship's Foundation

Disclaimer: CSI belongs to CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer.

**Building it up**

**By**

**MBInc**

**Part 1: Relationship's foundation**

It was the end of the graveyard shift when the break room started to fill with CSIs. Warrick, followed by Catherine, Nick, and Greg were the first inside, each grabbing a cup of coffee before settling themselves at the large table in the middle of the room.

"Why are we still here?" Catherine asked before she tentatively took a sip from the steaming hot liquid.

"Beats me," Warrick quipped, shrugging his shoulders in the process.

"I heard Ecklie has something to tell us," Greg said as he reached for the paper –immediately searching for the cartoons.

"Hey guys," Sara said as she also entered the break room. "What's the problem? Why this 911 page at the end of our shift?"

"Well," Grissom stated walking in behind her, "Ecklie has an assignment for us."

"Us? Now?" Nick said incredulously. "We just finished our shift and want to go home."

"Here he comes to wreck the day," Greg said mockingly.

Ecklie, followed by Hodges and a not so happy looking Wendy, Sofia and Brass entered the break room. Looking around, the ex-dayshift supervisor noticed everyone was gathered.

"Alright, if everybody could take a seat…" he started, then opened the manila folder he had brought with him. "This just came in. The higher-uppers have decided it was time for some bonding."

"Bonding? What are you talking about?" Catherine asked, eyebrows quirked.

"I always pictured him as a bondage freak," Brass whispered only for Sofia's ears to hear as they settled themselves at the table.

"Well then, you better watch your back," Sofia snickered, earning her a poke in her ribs from the Captain.

Ecklie glared around, before continuing. "So, this is the case. We will be divided into teams of two…"

"And to make sure everyone will seriously compete in this, there is a reward for the winning team."

"A reward?" Greg asked, immediately sitting up straight.

"Yes," Ecklie said. "The team that first reaches the given coordinate gets a week of paid leave, also known by some people as: vacation."

"Alright," Warrick smiled, giving Nick a high-five and thinking they had that vacation already in the pocket.

"And what if we don't want to do this?" Sara said, her voice filled with annoyance.

"It's mandatory," Ecklie answered sternly. "So, you're all expected to be here at 4 pm. Groups will be announced then." He grabbed some papers and passed them on to Grissom. "This list tells you what to bring and what _not_ to bring."

As Catherine took a glance at the list she spoke up, "No cell phones? What is this sh…"

"This," Ecklie interrupted, "is what they call a survival bonding test. Now, go home get some rest and I'll see you all here back at 4."

With that said he left the room, leaving a few grinning _and _a few grumpy-looking persons behind.

"Great," Sara said mockingly, "I _really_ look forward to this." –waving her sheet through the air.

"Ah, come on, Sidle," Nick said, "It's not like you'll win this vacation. Just take some detours, make sure you and your buddy aren't the first to arrive."

The brunette sighed as she stood to leave. Just as she was about to walk into the hallway, she heard Catherine speak up. "I'd give anything for a week off. Linds'll be ecstatic to have her mom around for an entire week."

Walking to the locker room to get her stuff Sara thought about Catherine's words. _I hope she'll win this stupid vacation, for Lindsey, for herself. She seems so tired lately._

She opened her locker reached for her leather jacket, motor boots and helmet. Everything gathered, Sara headed off for her apartment, hopeful on getting _some_ sleep before she had to get back here.

At 4 pm the break room once again started to fill with CSIs, detectives, and lab techs. Each of them carrying a backpack, a sleeping bag, and other survival equipment. Ecklie was the last to arrive and immediately set out to announce the teams.

"Alright, listen up everybody," he said as he stood in the center of the room.

All halted their conversations and turned to face the balding man. "Teams are as follows: Brown and Brass, Curtis and Simms, Stokes and Johnson, Willows and Sidle, Hodges and Sanders, and Grissom, you're with me."

Sighs were heard all around.

"Hey, don't look at me," Ecklie protested, "I didn't make these teams."

As everybody started to gather their stuff, Ecklie spoke up once more. "Each team will get an envelope with coordinates in it," he said as he started to hand them out. "Inside are four coordinates; three checkpoints where your team has to get a stamp, the fourth coordinate is the finish. First team there wins the prize."

Sara, who had been very quiet since the announcement of the teams, suddenly got a very determined look in her eyes. The prize was theirs, no matter how much she so not wanted that week of vacation. What the heck would she do all those days?

She glanced at the strawberry blonde who was examining the envelope's contents.

The brunette shrugged it off. It didn't matter, because Catherine really deserved time with her daughter.

"Now, everybody hand in their cell phones," Ecklie said, "and all other global positioning systems." –the last part uttered to Archie who grumpily reached into his backpack and grabbed the small apparatus, handing it over to Ecklie.

"Then how are we supposed to find these checkpoints?" Greg asked.

Grabbing a cardboard box, Ecklie walked up, handing the ex-lab rat a small box and a map. Opening the box Greg looked surprised at its content. Taking it out and showing it to the rest he spoke up.

"A compass?"

"I think we're headed the wrong way," Sara said as she strained her eyes while checking the map, trying to gather as much of the light that was cast by the almost completely disappeared sun.

Catherine, checking her watch noticed it was past 8 pm. They had been going for more than three hours. They had been the first to reach the first two checkpoints, but now it seemed they were lost. _Well,_ Catherine thought,_ technically we're not lost, we're just not where we're supposed to be._

"It's getting too dark for us to continue," the brunette said as she gave up on trying to read the map.

"Yeah," Catherine started, but he stomach decided to interrupt. "I could use some food too."

Sara looked around. Though darkness had almost covered everything, the surroundings of lake Tahoe were beautiful –romantic even. Suddenly here eye spotted something.

"Over there," she pointed into the dark.

"What?" Catherine said as she tried to see what Sara was pointing to.

The brunette walked off, muttering to herself. "This will be better than sleeping in a tent."

Catherine, still not seeing what Sara referred to, headed after the taller woman. "What? Sara, what are you talking about?"

Suddenly Sara stopped walking, causing Catherine to bump into her. "What the…Oh," Catherine said, a smile coming onto her face as her eyes fell upon a small cabin. "This indeed will be far better than sleeping outside."

"Come on, let's see if we can get in," the brunette quipped as she placed her backpack on the porch and reached for the front door of the cabin.

Half an hour later both of the women were getting settled, Catherine was sitting comfortably on a small couch while Sara was placing wood into the fireplace.

The strawberry blonde watched in fascination at Sara's hands working on getting the fire started. As the first flickering of flames filled the room, Sara stood up from her crouched position and walked over to a chair standing next to the small couch.

"How come you're such a fanatic about this?" Catherine suddenly asked, breaking the silence between them. "It's nothing like you to be this concerned on winning time off."

"I'm not doing this for myself," the brunette stated calmly.

"Oh? Are you doing this because Ecklie threatened to…"

"No," Sara interrupted quickly, at first not elaborating on in. But, after some hesitation on whether to tell the older woman her real reason or not, she finally spoke up again. "I'm doing this for you."

"Me?" Catherine said, quirking her eyebrow while her eyes shot up form the fire place to lock with hazel eyes that were already looking at her.

"Yes," Sara whispered. "I think you deserve this vacation time more than anyone else. To spend it with Lindsey."

Catherine was surprised with the sincerity in Sara's words and above all surprised about the brunette's thoughtfulness and unselfishness. She sat there looking straight into the younger woman's eyes, not knowing what to say.

Sara turned away, finally taking her eyes off of Catherine and settling them on the crisping flames. She hoped she hadn't offended the strawberry blonde by her intentions. But a speechless Catherine often wasn't a good thing.

"So, what's for dinner?" Catherine said softly.

Finally settled in her sleeping bag onto the couch, Sara lay staring out of the small window. She had offered Catherine the bed, waving off the strawberry blonde's offer to take the couch by saying she had to keep the fire going.

As she placed one hand behind her head a smirk came onto her face as she remembered Catherine's reply –the friendly banter replacing the awkwardness from before.

"_Alright, I'll take the bed, but only 'cause I don't want to wake up every hour or so to keep the fire going,"_

"_That's right," the brunette said. "You do need your beauty sleep."_

"_Unlike you," Catherine quipped back, locking eyes with Sara._

_The taller woman didn't know what to say as her cheeks felt like they were on fire, changing into a nice red color._

Noticing that the light emanated by the fire was getting less, Sara sat up straight, got out of her sleeping bag and reached for some wood.

Just as she placed another log on the fire she heard noise coming form the bedroom. Carefully she walked over to the door. Pushing it open a little further she was met with two sparkling blue eyes looking back at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly as she entered the room.

"Can't sleep well alone, especially in a strange bed," Catherine sighed as she shifted.

"Oh," Sara answered, immediately chiding herself for the surprised tone of her voice.

Leaning her head up on one hand, the strawberry blonde took in the tall frame of the younger woman. "How 'bout you? Did you get some sleep already?"

"Nah," Sara replied as she stepped closer to the bed. She sat herself down on the edge of the bed, careful not to sit too close to the strawberry blonde. "I just put another log onto the fire," she said as she watched through the door opening to the fire –doing her best to avoid Catherine's eyes.

"Well," Catherine started as she reached for the brunette's hand and gave her a little tug, "let's try to get some sleep."

Sara, momentarily paralyzed as her mind caught up with Catherine's words, let herself be guided down onto the bed.

Suddenly Catherine shifted, placing her head on the brunette's strong shoulder and draping her arm across Sara's taut stomach.

"Is this ok?" Catherine asked as she felt Sara tense.

Sara hadn't anticipated the shorter woman's move and had completely tensed up the second she felt the smaller body mold itself around her shoulder. She could merely nod as an answer to Catherine's question.

Catherine, noticing how cramped Sara lay next to her started circling motions with her hand on the brunette's taut stomach. Soon Sara started to relax. She was marveled by the calming effect the strawberry blonde's gesture had on her.

Sara let out a deep sigh as her arms found their way around Catherine, pulling her into her own body a bit more. She had craved for this for a long time. Just to hold someone in her arms.

No. Not just someone. Catherine. She had craved for Catherine.

She nuzzled the shorter woman's hair, her nose filling with the scent of vanilla. _This really feels comfortable_, the brunette thought. Before she realized what she was doing, she placed a soft kiss on Catherine's forehead.

Her eyes shot open to the size of saucers as she realized what she had just done. Quickly sitting up, Sara tried to get out of the bed, away from the strawberry blonde. But she was stopped by Catherine clinging even more onto her body.

"Please, Sara. It's alright," Catherine said as she cupped the younger woman's chin, searching for hazel eyes. "Stay. If you want to, that is," she quickly added.

Sara completely tensed up again, at the same time upset with her own actions and also overwhelmed with the tenderness noticeable in Catherine's voice as well as touch.

Catherine tentatively reached down, taking the brunette's hand in her own and entwining their fingers. She could see in Sara's expression how her mind was working through all that had just happened –the same look plastered on her face which she would sport when working through all the evidence of a case.

Sara realized this was the chance she had been hoping on for a long time now, and, despite the fear she felt, knew she would grasp it with both hands.

"Catherine, I…" But before she could utter her sentence completely, Catherine silenced her by putting a finger over her lips.

"Before you go on, I have to tell you I already know," she stated.

"You know?" the brunette questioned, sounding surprised and a bit fearful.

"Yes, I'm not blind," Catherine smiled genuinely.

"Then why didn't you…" The younger woman left her sentence unfinished as she looked at their entwined hands.

"Because you weren't ready. I figured once the day came you knew what you wanted I'd find out about it." The strawberry blonde stopped talking for a moment as she bent closer to Sara. She could feel the hitched breath of the brunette on her own lips as she spoke up again. "I guess today's the day."

Carefully she let her lips stroke those of Sara, her hand sneaking up into dark tresses. Sara immediately responded to the soft pressure on her lips and softly moaned into the chaste kiss. Just as quick as those delicate lips had touched hers, they were gone –leaving her behind with the nagging thought this all was a dream.

There was no way Catherine Willows could know about her feelings –let alone kiss her- and this not being a dream.

"Please tell me I'm not dreaming," Sara said as she closed her eyes tightly.

"I know something even better," the older woman said. "I'll show you this isn't a dream. It's real. You're really here, I'm really here. There really can be an _us_." She added the last part in a whisper.

Two hands –one on each shoulder- pushed her back on the bed slowly, and Catherine settled her body on top of Sara's. The strawberry blonde reached up, her hands cupping the younger woman's cheeks as she looked into her eyes intently. She leaned in and kissed Sara –a sensuous kiss, both their lips tingling from the electric-like touch.

"I'll stop if you don't want…" Catherine said as her hands started to trail downwards.

"Please," Sara interrupted, "Don't stop." Her own hands found their way underneath Catherine's shirt, tracing patterns on her back, leaving goose bumps on the way. That was the undoing of the older woman's restraint. Her lips crashed on those of Sara again, attacking with a fierce hunger which needed to be satisfied.

Sara growled as she felt Catherine's tongue trailing along her lower lip and opened her lips a little allowing Catherine to deepen the kiss. Both their tongues snuck out, searching for one another.

One of Catherine's hands found its way to a soft mound of flesh. She cupped Sara's breast, the brunette's nipples getting rock-hard by the strawberry blonde's touch. Her other way snuck to the hem of Sara's shirt and started to pull it up.

They broke off the kiss and sat up, both pulling at the hem of each other's shirt. Once those pieces of clothing were discarded –thrown across the room- lips connected once again. Catherine's hands were glad to find new uncovered flesh and started feather-light touches all across Sara's chest.

Sara changed position, now urging Catherine to lie back. The brunette placed herself beside Catherine, her hand moving through strawberry blonde locks, her eyes focusing on two blue pools, then moving to the older woman's mouth. She just couldn't get enough of those luscious lips, and thus captured them once again.

Suddenly she broke off the kiss, one hand cupping Catherine's cheek. "Catherine," she said, breaking the silence, "I think I'm falling for you. No, I've already fallen. Hard. But this is not the way I want this to go. If there's a chance of us two being together I'd…" she sighed once, trying to control her raging hormones, "I'd rather wait, first take you out on a proper date…or two." The brunette now avoided Catherine's eyes.

"Well," Catherine started, her arms settling around Sara's waist and squeezing her tighter, "then you'd better get back to that couch, 'cause I don't know whether I can keep me to myself." She smiled and was rewarded by a beautiful gap-toothed smile. "And don't wait too long before asking me out on that date," she added before giving Sara one last kiss and pushing her off the bed.

Sara grabbed her shirt from the ground and pulled it back on, all the while a silly grin on her lips. She quickly bent towards Catherine and placed a kiss on her forehead before walking over to the door opening. She turned back before completely walking out. "We'll go on a date next week."

"Next week?" Catherine smirked.

"Yes, we're gonna win this vacation and go out on a date…or two," Sara smiled then left the bedroom, heading for the fire place and tossing another log on the fire before setting in her sleeping bag again.

"Sleep well," she heard the strawberry blonde saying from the bedroom.

"Good night," she answered back as she closed her eyes, a smile on her face.


	2. Part 2: Relationship's Walls

Disclaimer: CSI belongs to CBS and Jerry Bruckheimer.

A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed! Here's the next part...

**Part 2: Relationship's Walls**

The first rays of sunlight entered through the small windows of the cabin as Sara was already up and about. She had slept really well, a constant smile on her face –her dreams filled with images of a certain strawberry blonde's lips.

The brunette had already made breakfast, using the things she found in one of the cupboards, and was now busy gathering their stuff so that they could get moving soon. _We have a race to win_, was her new mantra.

Suddenly she heard noise coming from the bedroom. As she looked up she was met by the sight of sleep-tousled strawberry blonde hair, two sparkling blue eyes and a sexy smirk.

"Hi," she greeted as she walked over to the older woman.

"Morning," Catherine answered before placing a chaste kiss on the brunette's cheek. Sara pulled her in for a hug, wrapping her arms around the smaller woman, burying her nose in Catherine's hair.

"Did you sleep ok?" she asked as she put some distance between the both of them, her arms settling on Catherine's hips.

"The best sleep I've had in months," the strawberry blonde quipped.

"Good. Breakfast's ready, I'm almost done packing most of our stuff. So, let's eat then we can head out to the last checkpoints and win our date…erm…vacation," Sara smiled.

"I'm looking forward to our date," Catherine purred, her lips inching closer to Sara's. Suddenly it hit her. "But what if we're not the first to arrive at the finish?"

The brunette cupped Catherine's cheek. "There's no way the other's are going to beat us," she said already very certain of their victory. "But if by some unexplainable way it happens that they do," she said, her lips almost brushing across the strawberry blonde's. "I'm sure I can persuade Ecklie into giving me some time off."

Just as she was about to kiss the shorter woman, Catherine pulled away. "What about me?" she asked, an evil sparkle in her eyes as she noticed the surprised look on Sara's face. The younger woman was momentarily stunned, expecting a kiss instead of a question.

"You, my dear," the brunette said as she gathered her thoughts, "have nothing to worry about. I heard the flue is making its round. Didn't you mention something about Lindsey having a cold?" –her eyes now also sparkling with mischief.

-----

At 8.45 am they had reached the third checkpoint, still ahead of the rest, or so they were told by some guy they vaguely recognized as a day-shift lab-tech who was planted at the checkpoint to keep vigil on the passing teams. The distance to the finish was still about three quarters of a mile, and so they quickly headed on.

Both of the women's determination to win this time off did miracles to their painful feet –the blister on Catherine's right heel immediately forgotten as she received a full-blown smile and a peck on her cheek.

"We're almost there," the brunette said as she reached for Catherine's hand. Despite never really being a touchy-feely kind of person, Sara had absolutely no problem with PDA when it came to the strawberry blonde. _Well_, the brunette thought, _now we're sort of together, that is_.

The older woman was surprised by Sara's action, but welcomed it wholeheartedly.

"So, what do you have in mind for our date?" she asked, very much enjoying walking hand in hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Sara replied giddily.

"Well, I'm sure you've had long enough to think about it and plan the whole thing," the smaller woman quipped.

"That is true, and I have. But," she said, turning to face the strawberry blonde, "you'll have to wait and see." She then placed a chaste kiss on Catherine's lips before turning round again, tugging at her hand and walking towards the last checkpoint.

"Hmm, let's see," Catherine mused. "First, you'll take me to an expensive restaurant, Italian. You'll know the owner of the restaurant so you'll be able to get a table for two in the back, nice and quiet. You'll expertly select a wine, order our dinner. You'll take my hand, lay our entwined fingers on top of the table, stare into my eyes."

"Should I be taking notes of this all?" Sara interrupted smiling broadly at the strawberry blonde.

"You could," Catherine answered, then continued her musing. "You'll smile like you just did, that beautiful gap-toothed smile of yours."

Self-consciously Sara stared at her feet, suddenly finding an interest in her worn-off walking shoes. "Not nearly as beautiful as your eyes," she managed to whisper.

Catherine suddenly stopped walking, causing Sara to bump into her. She embraced the taller woman, pulling her as close as possible. Looking up into dark, hazel eyes, she felt her stomach make huge flops.

The gaze she was met with mirrored the emotions passing through the younger woman's mind –first fear, then reserved-ness, followed by admiration, then adoration.

Catherine'd had feelings for the younger woman for some time now, all the while not able to show them. She'd picked up on the way Sara acted around her. Nervous, though always kind, probably unconscious of the signs she was sending the strawberry blonde.

Many times she'd felt the brunette's eyes follow her wherever she went. One time she even caught Sara staring at her backside, the younger woman's face turning beet-red. That was when she started to really pay attention to the brunette's actions and realized there was a possibility Sara also felt something for her.

Then and there Catherine had decided to let Sara set the pace, that is, if there ever would be a pace to set. But now, now things had developed –and were still developing- between them Catherine felt an urge for more. She had to keep her feelings to herself for a long time, and was now glad to finally be able to show exactly how she felt.

"Sara, I…I…" She wasn't sure whether to finish what she had planned to say. Her mind was suddenly filled with the thought _Is this too soon?_ But she didn't have to make up her mind, because the brunette did for her.

"Shh," Sara said as she softly placed a finger over Catherine's lips. "Let's not jinx this. I feel for you too, deeply. But let's first go on this date, see how that works out."

Her eyes still locked with the taller woman's Catherine knew Sara was right. She didn't need to say it out loud, not yet, that is. She could see it already was there –like it had been all along.

Love. It was undeniably there. Sara's love for her.

The strawberry blonde merely nodded, a shiver running down her spine as Sara's finger traced along her lips –soon replaced by the brunette's lips.

"Now, let's get going," Sara started as she broke off the kiss. "Where were you…Ah, right. I'll smile, brightly. Then what?"

Catherine, completely put at ease by the younger woman, went back to summing up their date to come. "Then you'll suddenly raise your eyebrow"

"How come?" Sara asked, one eyebrow raised already.

"I'll be playing some footsie," Catherine smirked.

-----

There were only a few yards left when Sara noticed two people following not that far behind.

"Damn," she hissed.

"What's wrong?" Catherine turned to face her.

"We've got company," Sara huffed. "Better hurry up, I can see the finish already," she said as she pointed towards a tent.

Catherine squinted as she tried to see who their pursuers were. "Are that…"

"Sofia and Wendy, yes," Sara finished.

"Well then, what are you waiting for!" Catherine yelled as she bolted past the brunette and headed for the finish.

Sara just stood there, staring dumbfound at the quickly retreating back of the older woman. And what a nice back it was. _Damn she looks hot in those jeans_.

"Sidle, come on!" Catherine quipped over her shoulder. This shook the brunette out of her reverie who also started to run towards the point marked as the finish.

They could see three persons standing at a car, a small table standing beside it. Nearing it they noticed who exactly were standing at the car. Al –who had been assigned to wait at the finish, Nick, and Archie.

Catherine felt her stomach drop as disappointment settled in. They hadn't made it there first. No first place, no vacation. No vacation, no date. _No date with Sara_, was the thought running through her mind.

_No way, _Sara though. _No friggin' way._

As they reached the car, Sara shot daggers at Nick and Archie who were both smiling broadly. "How can…you guys…" Sara started, still breathing heavily from the sprint. "be here first! We were first at the third checkpoint. And,"

"We haven't seen you pass us by!" Catherine finished, threateningly jabbing a finger at Nick.

"Whoa, calm down, Cath," Nick said as he reached for her shoulder. "We're out of the race already."

Catherine looked over at Sara, both surprised looks on their faces. "What? Why?" the strawberry blonde asked.

Archie held up his arm. At least, he tried. "Had an accident last night. Broke my arm. We called the HQ."

"You _called_ the HQ?" Sara asked.

Archie looked away ashamed as he received an angry glare from the square-jawed Texan. "Mr. Johnson here thought it necessary to take along his new cell phone."

"The cell phone we had to hand in at the start of this survival test?" Catherine inquired.

"Yes," Nick sighed. "So when we called the HQ we were immediately disqualified from the test, i.e. winning the vacation."

"So you got what you deserved, huh?" Sara smirked at Archie as she pointed at his plastered arm.

"Hang on," Catherine started, a smile appearing on her face. "That means we're first. We won!" She turned to the brunette, repeating her last words, "We won!"

The strawberry blonde threw her arms around Sara's neck, pulling her close. "We won," she said again, this time whispered in the brunette's ear.

"I know," Sara smiled as she backed up a little, her arms still around Catherine's waist. "I know."

-----

"Congratulations," Ecklie said, smiling half-heartedly as he shook the hands of Sara and Catherine.

"Thank you," Sara beamed. Never before had she been so glad to be off work for an entire week.

Sara and Catherine had won. Nick and Archie were expelled from the test. Sofia and Wendy were second, soon followed by Warrick and Brass. Grissom and Ecklie finished about half an hour later. Greg and Hodges were the last to finish.

After applause from the other contestants, celebrations were in order –the break room filled with conversation, laughter, and music. Though some were disappointed in not having won the vacation, most were glad for Catherine and Sara to have won some time off. Amicably, they all celebrated having weathered this survival bonding test.

Though they were at opposite ends of the room, talking to other team members, they constantly were aware of one another, sneaked glances every now and then.

After a while the two women slipped out of the break room and headed for the locker room, finding the privacy they were looking for.

"So, about this date," Sara started as she pulled Catherine closer.

"Uhuh," the strawberry blonde purred as she nuzzled Sara's neck.

"How 'bout I pick you up at eight tonight?"

Catherine looked up and into hazel eyes, a smile finding its way onto her lips. "You aren't losing any time on this, huh?"

"Nope," Sara simply answered.

"Good," was the last thing the older woman said before she claimed Sara's lips.

Her hands found their way up into the taller woman's hair, fingers twirling brown locks around. Sara traced the hem on the back of Catherine's shirt, earning her a groan as her fingers started to caress the soft skin underneath.

Just as things were about to get heated up even more, the door opened.

"Ahem."

The women quickly entangled themselves, straightening their clothes in the process. Looking towards the door they were met with two persons smirking at them evilly.

"Sorry," Sara started.

"Yeah, you'd better," Sofia started. "You guys stole our vacation," she said seriously.

"On the other hand," the detective continued. "It's good to know this team bonding thing did actually have effect on some of us, don't you think so Wendy?"

The DNA-tech's cheeks reddened a bit before she smiled at Sofia then started to laugh. "Yeah, I have to agree with you on that."

"Well," Catherine started. "We're not sorry, we winners have to go now. Vacation and all, you know how it is, right?" she kidded. Grabbing her purse, then Sara's hand she started to walk off and out of the locker room.

"Wait a minute," Sara said as she passed Sofia and Wendy. She had noticed the glint in the detective's eyes –a matching one in the lab-tech's. A smirk settled onto her lips. "Ah, I see. You two are just pissed of we took in your time to _date_!"

The two women found a sudden interest in the floor as their faces turned beet-red while Sara and Catherine burst out in laughter. "Well, you guys have fun!" Sara said as she ushered Catherine out of the locker room. "You can always go for an after-shift-breakfast-date!"

And with that said she grabbed her helmet and also left the locker room, reached for the strawberry blonde's hand, entwined their fingers, and together they headed for the CSI HQ parking lot.

Reaching Catherine's car, the strawberry blonde let finally go of Sara's hand and turned to face the taller woman.

"Well," she started, then looked at her watch before continuing. "I'll see you in five hours."

Sara smirked, pulled the shorter woman closer –her hands finding their place on either side of Catherine's waist as the arms of the other woman sneaked their way around her neck. Slowly she inched closer to the strawberry blonde, her lips first grazing Catherine's, then attacking fiercely.

She let her tongue sneak out and slide along the luscious lips of the shorter woman, and started to moan as Catherine's tongue found hers.

Suddenly, the brunette ended the kiss and backed away, smirking evilly at Catherine. She put on her helmet, took the last steps towards her motor and sat down. After starting the engine she waved once more, then headed off.

"And what a long five hours it will be," Catherine sighed as she got into her car and also drove off.

-----

Just as Sara entered her apartment her cell phone rang. She placed her helmet on the counter and reached for the phone.

"Hello," she said as grabbed her mail and started skimming through all the junk she had received.

"Sara? It's me, Catherine."

The brunette's annoyance of the rainforest wrecking pile of junk mail she'd been sent was replaced by a giddy feeling of happiness the second she heard the strawberry blonde's voice. She tossed the envelopes back on the table and walked over to the couch, settling herself comfortably.

"You miss me already?" she smirked.

"Yes, terribly. But that's not the reason I called."

Sara sat up straight, a nagging feeling settling in her stomach as a scary thought settled in her mind. "You're not canceling the date, are you?"

"Well, actually I am," the strawberry blonde replied. "I mean," she quickly continued as she realized how that must have sounded to the younger woman, "I would like to reschedule our date."

Sara sighed in relief as the other woman's last words registered in her brain.

"Sara? Are you still there?" Catherine asked after a moment of silence.

"Yes," the brunette started. "Yes, I'm still here. I thought you'd changed your mind about…" She couldn't even finish her sentence.

"Of course not," Catherine replied, sincerity tangible in her voice. "It's just that Lindsey has the flu. For real."

Sara started to laugh at the irony of it all –soon joined by the strawberry blonde. Here she was almost ready to cry her eyes out because she thought the woman she was in love with had a change of heart, while actually the thing she had suggested to be their backup plan had now become reality.

"So," Catherine continued as they were both quieted down again. "You see I can't leave home tonight."

"I understand," Sara said.

"But," Catherine said, then hesitated.

"But what?"

"You could come by tonight if you like?" the older woman asked, a sudden shyness in her tone.

"I'd love that. Is seven o' clock ok?"

"Make that five-thirty and I'll throw in dinner."

"Deal."

**The End**

…**For now**

Thank you for taking time to read this story! Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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